Former UL Star Shawn Long Completes Outstanding Pro Season

A former Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun men’s basketball team had a great professional season, which came to a close close after elimination in the playoffs.

Shawn Long, who played for the Cajuns from 2013-2016, put up some great numbers for the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League, which also features seven teams from Australia.

How good were his numbers?

Well, good enough to be named a second-team All-NBL.

In the 28 games, Long averaged 18.2 points-per-game, which ranked 5th in the league, to go along with 9.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, which ranked second and third, respectively, in both departments, while shooting 56% from the field, which placed him in a tied for fifth in the league.

Unfortunately, the Breakers were eliminated in the playoffs by the Brisbane Bullets last week, so their season, as well as Long's, came to an end.

Long was outstanding in the elimination game however, scoring 23 points, while pulling down 10 rebounds.

A forward/center, Long began last season with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association, where he averaged over 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest, before playing in the G League with the Delaware 87ers, averaging 14.6 PPG and 7.7 RPG in 33 games, following his 13-game stint in China.

Long appeared in 18 games for the Philadelphia Sixers during the 2016-2017 season, his first in the NBA, averaging 8.2 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 13.0 minutes per contest.

Prior to signing with the Sixers, Long was a standout in the G League, averaging a double-double (20.2 PPG, 11.1 RPG) in 39 games for the 87ers, an affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 25-year old Long took part in the Minnesota Timberwolves' mini-camp in June.

A native of Morgan City, scored 2,342 points and compiled 1,447 rebounds in his career at UL, becoming the first player to school history to score 2,000 points, while also pulling down 1,000 rebounds.

Long’s career points are the third-most in Cajun basketball history, while his rebound number ranks first.

The 6-foot-9, 248-pound Long was named a first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection three times.

Congratulations to Shawn on a fantastic professional season! We hope to see you back in the NBA again soon!